


Daisy Lace

by Smellslikezombies



Series: Daisy Lace [1]
Category: Choices: High School Story: Class Act (Visual Novel)
Genre: Abrupt Ending, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Deepthroating, F/M, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Kitchen Sex, Praise Kink, Smut, thigh riding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:22:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22818454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smellslikezombies/pseuds/Smellslikezombies
Summary: Boy falls for a girl at a rock show
Relationships: Ajay Bhandari/Main Character (High School Story: Class Act)
Series: Daisy Lace [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676110
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16





	1. The Girl at the Rock Show

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I got hate for this when I first posted it which sucks especially because that's the first ask I've ever gotten, and it was one asking what was wrong with me for posting it. Either way, I really like this concept and I really enjoy writing this series so I'm gonna keep posting it and updating and stuff. These characters are aged up, so to me, I'm writing about fictional adults doing adult things. I hope you enjoy it!!❤️

"C'mon, we're gonna miss the bands!" Skye pulled on Ajay's hand to get him to move faster down the sidewalk.

“I don’t know why you dragged me along to this, Skye. This is very obviously not my scene, no matter how much black eyeliner you put on me.” He was referring to how his friend basically broke into his tiny apartment and forced him out of bed for the first time in days. She believed the best way to get over a breakup was through live music, dark clothing, and a shit ton of makeup. Begrudgingly, Ajay gave in to tagging along with her to the show, but he also thought that it was his right to complain as much as he wanted to.

“Trust me, my makeover skills are killer. You look perfect, but all my hard work will go to waste if you don’t move your ass!” Skye snapped and tugged Ajay harder until they reached the dingy doors to the venue.

Music and vibrations seeped into Ajay as he felt the thumps of the guitars and drum on stage. The walls glowed with neon graffiti, the drawings changing before his eyes with the multicolored strobes that flashed against the paint. Small, waist high tables were gathered near a bar and just a few feet away was a dance floor. A crowd had gathered around a stage that yielded a punk rock band rocking out with its fans. Skye gasped.

“That’s Tumbleweed!” she yelled over the deafening music and ran off into the throngs of dancers. Ajay lost sight of her almost immediately and huffed in annoyance. 

_Abandoned,_ he thought as he walked over to the bar. He ordered some cheap beer after flashing his ID and settled at one of the tables to wait for Skye. He finally spotted her bright red hair bounding over to him, her face breathless and flushed from dancing. 

“Why are you brooding over here? Get out there and dance!” she exclaimed, giving him a slight punch on the arm. He shook his head and leaned closer to be heard over the sounds of the next band tuning and setting up. 

“I already told you, it’s not my scene,” he said. 

“Wrong!” You need to get out there and try new things! You can’t be held down by Danielle forever.” Ajay flinched at the mention of his ex. The sounds of her yells and the slamming doors reverberated in his ears as he felt his vision go fuzzy. Skye was able to pull him back with a gentle touch of his hands. “I just don’t want you to wallow for the rest of your life. She’s not worth that, especially not from someone as cool as you!” Skye wasn’t known for her compliments, so Ajay brightened up at the effort she was putting in to make him feel better. “At least dance a little to this next band, Daisy Lace. They’re more your style, so I think you’ll like them. C’mon!” Skye resumed her pulling once again, prompting a laugh from Ajay as he was lead into the crowd. The band hadn’t started to play yet, so the two friends pushed their way to the front of the small number of people that were waiting for the music. 

“They usually start with covers to hype people up, but then transition into their own songs. You’ll love it,” Skye reassured him. Ajay looked up at the stage. The singer was adjusting the microphone and joking around with her bandmates. Ajay tuned out the environment around him as he watched her move around. She moved with a grace indicative of confidence, and Ajay found himself hypnotized by her. They finally got set up and were ready to play. Ajay watched with rapt attention as the lead singer started singing a cover of “Scotty Doesn’t Know.” She danced around, suggestively spinning and bending along to the lyrics she was singing. Ajay cheered and whooped and sang along, intoxicated by her energy as she shook her hips. She was wearing a sweatshirt at the beginning of the song but began to undress as she sent a provocative stare into the crowd. Her gaze seemed to lock on Ajay’s for a split second before she revealed the thin tank top hidden underneath her sweatshirt. She threw it into the crowd, causing screams to rise from the back of the crowd as a lucky dancer caught it. The singer laughed and yelled along with her fans before transitioning into her next song. Ajay couldn’t get her stare out of his head. 

“Her name is Bailey, by the way,” Skye yelled to Ajay, whose eyes had never left the beautiful girl with the microphone. He blinked at Skye as if just noticing where he was. 

“Really? Bailey,” he whispered to himself, trying to savor the way her name melted on his tongue. He lost himself in her voice as he joined the other show-goers in headbanging and singing along the lyrics he knew. During one of their original songs, Bailey caught Ajay’s eye and winked before moving to address her fans at the other end of the stage. Ajay’s heart left at her smug gaze and Skye snickered at his awestruck expression.

“Distracted there, Ajay?” she asked, nudging him as he watched Bailey jump around during the last song of their set. 

“Can you blame me?” Ajay retorted, ripping his gaze from the band to his friend, who shrugged and nodded.

“The drummer is pretty hot. I think her name is Lilith,” Skye sighed at stared at the drummer, a true vision with light brown hair and a leather jacket that glinted as she hit every beat perfectly. She let out an epic solo as Bailey moved over to let the spotlight fall on Lilith.

“We’re Daisy Lace and we want to thank you for welcoming us at our first performance here at the Horse Cave. We have a regular spot, so catch us at the same time, same day next week! Thank you!” Bailey yelled over the hollers of the crowd and began to clean up with her bandmates. Before she left the stage for good, she leaned down to where Ajay and Skye were standing in the crowd. 

“Hey, you enjoy the show?” she asked, eyes shining and cheeks red as she spoke. Ajay gave an eager nod and a nervous smile. 

“Hell yeah!” He grimaced inwardly. _You sound stupid,_ he thought to himself, but his mind cleared when she flashed him a smile. 

“Awesome! I hope you’ll come to our other shows, then!” she exclaimed, grabbing a vinyl and a CD out of a duffel bag on stage behind the speaker. “You have a record player?” Ajay nodded again. “Dope! Here’s a free vinyl. So if you can’t come to another show, you’ll at least have a memento from your first one,” she said, beaming. She gave Ajay another wink before getting up and leaving the stage. 

“Holy shit!” Ajay yelled, looking down at the gift. Skye laughed.

“Let’s get you home man. I think you’ve tried enough new things today,” she said, leading him out of the venue and walking with him to her apartment. “You gonna be okay to go home alone?”

“Aw, it’s sweet that you worry about me,” he teased. “But yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s only two blocks.” Skye nodded and gave him a fist bump.

“Talk tomorrow.”

“See you.” He gave a wave and began the walk back to his apartment. He couldn’t help but think Bailey as he strolled along the cracked pavement. Small flowers peeked out of the crevices and he sidestepped to avoid crushing them underneath his boot. _Bailey,_ he repeated in her name in his head as if trying to summon her in front of him through sheer willpower. Her presence on stage captivated him, and he ached to see her again just after their short encounter. He gave a slight chuckle at himself at his typical crush. _Acting like I’m still in high school about this girl_ . He thought of the way she jumped around on stage and how perfect her voice sounded, resonating beautifully within the cramped confines of the Cave. _All those gazes could’ve meant something, right?_ He wondered to himself, trying to decipher each meaning behind the small winks and stares. _I have to go to another one of their concerts._

His mind briefly slowed down as he arrived at his apartment door and fished out his keys from his pocket. The closer he got to finally sleeping, the more his mind meandered to the thoughts of Bailey that he wasn’t too proud of. She had been wearing a tight but stretchy skirt so that she could show off and still move around on stage. Ajay’s thoughts had run wild when he watched her too, but he tried to push them away to enjoy the music without getting a boner in the middle of the show. Between the walls of his small apartment, however, he knew he was free to think of whatever he wished, no matter how much he hated himself for it. 

To get his mind off things (or perhaps rile himself up more), he stripped himself of the tight clothing that Skye had picked out for him to wear to the show. The pants he’d worn had left imprints in his skin, and he rubbed the angry red marks as he listened to the water run from the shower he started. Before the mirror could fog up, he stared at himself in the glass. 

Ajay’s eyes looked tired, yet alive with the events of the night. He ran a hand through his hair and ran it down until it stretched and rested on the opposite shoulder blade to massage the muscle there. The knots under his skin unraveled under his touch, but he couldn’t help thinking about whose hands he’d rather have on him; he wanted Bailey touching, squeezing, pulling at every inch of him until he came undone from the complete feeling of _her._

_I’m so far gone, and I’ve only been to one show. Jesus._

He finally realized that his reflection was masked behind the thick layer of condensation that had settled on the mirror, so he prepared a towel and stepped under the stream of water, instantly relaxing from the heat and pressure on his muscles. His hand drifted lower until it wrapped around himself, prompting Ajay to gasp at the feeling and brace his other hand against the wall. His hand moved steadily up and down until he found a rhythm that left him breathless. His mind was consumed by thoughts of what he pictured her to look like moaning his name, her voice harmonic and beautiful as she came. His hand sped up and he let out a groan. The water rushed around him, only intensifying the heat he felt settling in his stomach. He raced towards his climax until he spilled all over himself with a cry of her name. He grabbed his soap and moved into the path of the water to wash off better, heart still beating fast in his chest. As he stood under the stream, all he could think about was the girl at the rock show.


	2. Girls and Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter of pining at a rock show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjourrrrrrr....Sorry it took me so long to post this................pls don't hate me. I went to NYC over the weekend to go do some broadway stuff on a skewl trip, so that was dope!! unrelated to the story, but beetlejuice the musical, the play that goes wrong, and a soldier's play are all amazing and you should see them. enjoy my chapter!!

After his experience at the show, Ajay found himself counting the days until the next on the following week. He listened to the record given to him nearly every day and added every original song they had onto his Spotify playlists. Skye endlessly teased him when she found out about his new obsession with Daisy Lace. 

“You see the singer one time and now she’s all over your Spotify? You’re so _whipped_ , Ajay!” 

“I like their music.”

“Is that why you’re following their band’s account _and_ her personal on Instagram?” Skye raised her eyebrow at him. Ajay rolled his eyes. 

“Well, you seem to be stalking me, so maybe _you’re_ crazy about _me_ , then? If we’re going to make some accusations,” Ajay joked with Skye, whose head was thrown back with laughter. 

“Ajay, I have a beachfront property on the island of Lesbos. Don’t joke,” she snorted, lip ring shining in the light of the coffee shop they sat in. “We are going to their next show, right?” 

“Yeah, I mean if you’re up for it,” Ajay said. Skye had gotten an eyebrow piercing in college to spite her parents even more, and the bright red of the jewel flashed as she rolled her eyes. 

“I should be asking you the same thing, tiger.”

* * *

Ajay and Skye huddled together on the sidewalk as they walked inside the Horse Cave. Ajay inhaled and was assaulted by the smell of cheap booze and sweat, but he found himself oddly comforted by it. There was still about half an hour before Daisy Lace was set to go on, so he waited self consciously by the tables while Skye went dancing to the different bands playing. Every once in awhile, Ajay caught a glimpse of her bright ponytail, but it was only ever for a second. He sipped from his cup and anxiously pulled at his clothing. The chain on his pants, strung through two belt loops, proved perfect for fidgeting; his mesh crop top, however, was a little out of his comfort zone, and he tried pulling it down as if that would help him look more modest. He was staring at the table and its slightly splintered wood when he felt someone stand next to him. 

“Hey,” she said, giving him a slight nudge to get him to look over at her. “I could feel you brooding, so I came over here to pull you away.” Skye took his arm and yanked him away from the table, making it a point to hold on tight and ignore his protests. 

“What are you talking about?” Ajay asked, trying to pull his arm out of her iron grip. “And how are you so strong?”

“Non-consensual tennis lessons. And I’m talking about how uncomfortable you look. No one’s gonna judge you, so you gotta let loose! Daisy Lace is about to go on, and if you don’t go crazy, I’m going to lose my shit on you. Have fun!” The closer they got to the crowd, the more Skye had to yell to be heard. She spotted an opening near the stage and pulled Ajay along with her to grab it so they could be closer to the band. Ajay spotted the drummer, Lilith, setting up her drums, but she glanced down at Skye and gave the small girl a smile. Skye’s cheeks rouged and she laughed giddily at Ajay. 

“Did you see that?” She asked excitedly. Ajay stared in shock. 

“Damn, you’re already in love with her, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you laugh like that!” Skye’s smile dropped but Ajay held onto her bicep. “No, no. It’s great! You guys would be perfect together,” he rushed to get her smile back, and she laughed at his panic. 

“Thanks. It looks like your girl is coming out, too.”

Right on cue, Bailey marched out onto the stage in cute overalls embroidered with small daisies ( _Fitting_ , he thought) and a Domesticated Antelope shirt, delightfully cut to reveal some of her stomach and bra through the cut of the overalls. She raised her arms to wave at the crowd and Ajay shifted as more of her body was revealed. 

“‘Sup, y’all! Who’s ready for some Daisy Lace?” she yelled into the microphone and was answered with loud cheers and screams. “Alright, well, let’s get started then, shall we?”

Lilith raised her sticks and hit them together before slamming them down onto the instrument to start the song. Bailey launched into her rendition of “Girls and Boys” as she walked around on the stage and made gestures as she sang. Ajay’s face flushed as she sang out a line about boys laughing at girls and looked directly at him. She walked and performed for him for a few more lines before moving onto another side of the stage. Ajay sang louder throughout the rest of their set.

After the band finished their songs, Ajay was out of breath and gearing up to leave with Skye, who was trying to look for the drummer in case she had possibly followed them into the crowd. 

“Stop looking so desperate, Skye,” he teased, prompting a punch in the arm. 

“Whatever,” she huffed, failing to sound unbothered as she pouted. Ajay laughed and took another sip of beer before tossing it in the trash on their way out. They fell into step together down the sidewalk but nearly tripped when someone bumped into Ajay from behind. 

“Hey!” he yelled, twirling around to catch the culprit. He felt like the wind got knocked out his lungs as he found himself nearly nose-to-nose with the singer he’d been dreaming of for the past week. She had glittery eyeshadow and he felt mesmerized as he tried to see each color that shined as she moved her head. She panted heavily and held onto Lilith, who had run out after her but was now staring intently at Skye.

“Sorry, I just needed to say hi!” Bailey gasped out, still trying to catch her breath. 

“How far did you run?” Ajay couldn’t help but break into a huge grin. _She chased after me_ , he thought. 

“All the way down the street. I mean, it isn’t far, but I’m in my platforms!” She held up a foot clad in a bright white pair of platform sneakers. There were flowers that seemed to be hand-embroidered into the fabric that matched her overalls, and Ajay watched as she slammed her foot back down onto the cement. There was something nostalgic about Bailey that Ajay was drawn to, from her goofy smile to her seemingly innocent disposition. Looking into her eyes, though, he could see a fire behind the blue-gray iris, a mischievous quality that implied that she was thinking about more than what she presented. “You left your bracelet. It must have fallen off.” She held up a large ring of metal with the words LOVE TO FIGHT imprinted on it. Ajay bit back a laugh. 

“Uh, sorry, but that’s definitely not mine. I don’t typically wear bracelets, and I absolutely don’t love to fight,” he responded, trying to let her down easily. She glanced down at the bracelet, then back up at Ajay, certain sections of her face rapidly changing to display a complex range of emotions flitting across her mind in a matter of split-seconds. It became clear to Ajay that she had already known it wasn’t his bracelet, but hadn’t planned on anything after the fact. She kept opening and closing her mouth, attempting to get the words out. Ajay and Bailey stared at each other for far too long, breathing in the too-stale air of the city, taking up too much room on the sidewalk. 

“Shit, Lil…?” Lilith was currently having an intense staredown with Skye, who looked mesmerized by the drummer. “Lilith!” Bailey nudged her friend and scrunched her nose slightly which in turn caused a small dimple on her cheek to appear. Ajay had dimples that he naturally hated, but he thought his heart would melt in his chest as he looked at hers. Her bandmate finally snapped away from Skye’s gaze and looked at Bailey. 

“What? Oh, uh…” Lilith’s cool persona was briefly broken by a panicked look in her eyes, but she quickly repaired it. “Sorry about that. Thanks for coming to our show, though. We hope to see you again sometime,” she said, and though her words seemed to be rehearsed, the genuine emotion behind them as she looked at Skye convinced Ajay that they were perfect for each other. Lilith began lightly pulling Bailey down towards their band’s van parked in front of the Cave. Bailey started to follow but turned around and started walking backwards to look at Ajay. He wondered how she didn’t trip in the platforms she was so proud of. 

“What’s your name?” she called. 

“Ajay!” She gave an award-winning smile that made him forget how dangerous it was to yell his name in the middle of the city. 

“See you next week, Ajay!"


	3. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ya'know...a first date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!! I tried adding a few easter eggs alluding to the series and my original dancer au that i was writing before this. I hope you like it!!!

“Will you wipe that stupid smile off your face?”

“No I won’t, because you have the same exact smile.”

“Fine,” Skye huffed and led the way into the Horse Cave, eyes of both adults adjusting quickly to the dim lights and random strobes. “But I refuse to be a third wheel.” 

“It’ll be more like a double date,” Ajay taunted Skye, who sent him a quick glare. He winked at her and brought some beer to their usual table they used when waiting for Daisy Lace to start their set. Ajay’s blood was pure electricity running through his veins as he waited, but his hands tapped nervously on the tabletop. The closer it got to their performance time, the more wired Ajay felt. 

_Did asking my name mean anything?_ His thoughts ran wild with the different possible implications of her words. _She probably just wanted to get the support from her fans_. The constant tug-of-war in his mind made him shake slightly with the anticipation of her upcoming performance. Every waking moment, his head was overrun with _Bailey_. Bailey dancing around, Bailey dancing, Bailey kissing him; he just wanted _Bailey_. 

“They’re up, come on!” Skye lightly held onto the sleeve of his tight crop top ( _What is her obsession with putting me in crop tops?_ ) and pushed their way through the crowd. With a more regular time slot, more and more people were coming to see them, but Ajay was determined to see Bailey front and center. The first notes of “First Date” began and Bailey walked out onstage to the cheers of the crowd, Ajay included. She wore a tight tank top and baggy pants, perfect for her jumpy nature and energized stage presence. Ajay was eye level with her dark purple combat boots, and he wanted to ask how she moved around so easily in such heavy footwear. His eyes raked her body as she moved, and he spotted a new nose ring, eyebrow piercing, and multiple tattoos etched into her arms and shoulders. He ached to run his fingertips across them and learn the stories behind them. Ajay’s mind snapped back to reality when he felt Bailey’s gaze on him. 

“ _really wish it was only me and you/I'm jealous of everybody in the room_ ,” she sang and locked eyes with him, causing his face to redden even more than it already was from the heat of the hundred other people around him. He yelled the lyrics louder as he let himself completely go, headbanging and dancing with Skye to the covers and new originals that Daisy Lace performed for their fans. The only thoughts in his head were of Bailey’s voice as she transitioned flawlessly between each song until the end of their set. As was the routine with their Daisy Lace nights, Ajay and Skye began cleaning up their cups and preparing to make the short walks home. As he held Skye’s purse for Ajay felt a tap on his shoulder and he whirled around, bag flying and almost hitting the person behind him.

“Lilith! Sorry about that,” he rushed out, grabbing the purse and giving her an apologetic smile. Upon hearing Lilith’s name, Skye straightened up and faced her crush, eyes wide with panic.

“Lilith! Hey!” she croaked out, barely being heard over the loud music from the stage. 

“‘Sup, Red. Bailey told me to ask if you wanted to come visit our van, get to know the band a little bit. Especially since you guys seem to be big fans,” she said coolly, subtly winking at Skye. Ajay eagerly nodded and took his friend’s hand as they followed Lilith to meet the band. He shook with excitement at the thought of talking to Bailey more, as well as getting to know the rest of her bandmates that he had never seen off-stage like he’s seen Bailey and Lilith. 

The air was warm as the trio stepped out of a side door and were greeted by three people hanging out in a van with the rear doors open. Bailey was arguing animatedly with a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to her; Ajay remembered seeing him mastering the keyboard. Another man sat on the edge of the van strummed his guitar absent-mindedly, seemingly unaffected by the fight happening next to him. 

“Peanut butter is genuinely disgusting, Casey!” Bailey blurted out and huffed when her opponent sarcastically gasped at her exclamation. “Oh, fuck off! I won’t have you stinking up the van with it.” They both failed to notice Ajay and Skye trying to hide giggles behind their hands. The guitarist, however, noticed and looked up, loudly clearing his throat. The two other members in the van silenced. 

“You must be Ajay and Skye, right?” The guitarist nodded to each of them in turn. “I’m Rory. I’m guessing you know what I play. Lilith and Bailey won’t shut up about you two,” he said smoothly, his voice soft and straightforward. Ajay would’ve been lulled by it had he not been paying attention to the words themselves. Bailey and Lilith both leaned forward and landed a punch on his arms, causing him to wink and shrug. “I’m going to pay for that.”

“Damn right, you are. Ignore him. You already know me and Lilith, but this is Casey, my idiot twin with a penchant for torturing me with his awful condiments,” Bailey rolled her eyes, and Ajay could feel his pulse quicken. “I like your shirt.” Bailey gestured to his scantily clad torso, and he rushed to try and pull the bottom down to cover his exposed abs. “Hey, don’t,” she said gently, sternly wrapping her fingers around his wrist. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” She raised an eyebrow appreciatively at Ajay’s stomach, and he could feel heat rising to his neck...and somewhere lower. Her gaze was nearly predatory as she unabashedly ran her eyes up and down his body while she chewed her lips. He could practically see the scenes she was imagining they could play out had her bandmates been elsewhere. She let go of his wrist and abruptly turned to Casey and Rory. 

“You guys can leave if you want; I know classes start early for you,” she said, getting two nods in return as her bandmates started packing up. They left quickly, but not without saying goodbye and thanking Ajay and Skye for coming to the show. Bailey turned to the two fans. “I’m fucking starving. Wanna eat?”

* * *

Ten minutes later, Bailey turned into the parking lot of a small diner with a nostalgic vibe. Ajay remembered going to one just like it all through high school. Skye seemed to be reminded of it too as she let out a sigh at the sight of the deep red booths and the jukebox in the corner. 

“My parents used to own a place like this in my hometown. We come here a lot after shows for pick-me-up pancakes,” Bailey explained, and Lilith gave a small laugh. Skye’s eyes widened and she broke into a smile at the drummer. As the group sat at a booth, Lilith and Skye fell into natural conversation, leaving Ajay to nervously try speaking to Bailey without completely combusting. He glanced at the tattoos spread over her arms and tried to figure out what they all were before talking about them, but Bailey caught him staring. 

“You like them?” she asked, moving and rotating her arms so he could get a better look. He nodded and, without thinking, reached out to trace his fingers across the design. She shuddered at his touch, but he remained oblivious. 

“They’re beautiful. They suit you well,” he complimented, still staring in wonder at the lines etched into her skin. He wished his kisses could be, too.

“You’re cute.” She was looking at him with a soft smile and a fond look in her eye, and his breath hitched as he realized how truly close he was to her in the booth. His arm burned where it was pressed to hers as they sat next to each other at the table. He could count the freckled dusted across her nose and stretched to her forehead and neck. Her nose ring shined, and he found it amusing to see a small skull at the tip of the metal. Her eyebrow had a ring through it, and a rose peeked just above the hair. Her lips were full and glistening from the syrup that coated them. He cleared his throat and looked away, trying to prevent any thoughts that could gather at the sight of her lips. He averted his gaze to her arm and pointed to a random one: a ballet slipper. 

“You dance?”

“Oh, yeah! I loved ballet. I had a shot at being a principal dancer at a company in New York, but I turned it down to follow the band. ‘Professional Ballerina’ didn’t look right on my business card.” She spoke casually and Ajay couldn’t help but feel tranquil through the conversation, as if they had been friends for years. He pointed out different drawings on her arms, and she explained why and when she got them. He pointed out a crude sketch of a house and trees that looked like a child drew it. 

“How ‘bout this one?” 

“Casey and I were in a really bad car accident when we were younger, so we made a pact to get matching tattoos as soon as we were old enough,” she said, seeming to sink into deeper thought. “It was pretty grim, but we wanted something permanent to remember each other by. Just in case. He has a drawing of a mermaid on his leg that I made when I was six.”

“Jesus, I’m sorry,” Ajay apologized and set a hand down on her wrist, causing her to jump slightly but wave him off with her other hand. 

“No big. We’re over it, you know,” she dismissed him but continued to allow his hand placement. They broke contact when the waitress brought the checks, but Ajay kept glancing at her hands the entire drive home. Lilith and Skye had already been dropped off, so Bailey and Ajay stood alone on the step to his apartment building. 

“I’m glad I have fans like you.” They had been staring awkwardly at each other and Bailey was the first to break the silence. “You make it worth it.” 

“I’m happy,” Ajay nearly whispered and flinched when she took his hand in hers. He squeezed it as she pulled away so she would hold on tighter. 

“I’m glad I have you as a fan, too.” Ajay gulped and stared at her, praying that his hands weren’t too sweaty. 

“You have my number, right?” she asked turning his arm to look at the ballpoint ink that spelled out her phone number on the inside of his wrist. “Good. We should do this again. Especially with you in that shirt.” 

Bailey and Ajay glanced down at his abs simultaneously, and she winked at him in approval. He moved to turn, but froze as he saw her lean and shift to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek. He felt paralyzed as he racked his brain trying to figure out what happened, and by the time he fully processed it, she was already to the van. He cursed at himself and gave a big smile accompanied by a wave as she pulled away into the night. 

“ _Fuck._ ”


	4. Dirty Little Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ajay gets a call at 3 am

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's midnight and ya girl do be tired. I auditioned for my school play and i'm nervously waiting for the cast list which should be up tomorrow, so I type stuff to calm myself, you know?? So anyway, I really hope you guys like this chapter, I really liked writing it!! (heart heart heart)

Time passed quickly with Ajay and Skye visiting the Horse Cave every week and spending time with the band. Casey and Rory were both in grueling college courses, so they could never stay long, but they knew that the girls of the band enjoyed their time alone with their fans. 

Ajay and Bailey went on countless dates-but-not and he never truly knew where he was in her mind. They’d kissed once, but Bailey nearly flipped out completely afterward, leaving Ajay to believe it was something with him that was wrong. She assured him that it was something deeper and unrelated, but Ajay continued to wonder about this enigma of a woman he was so fascinated with. 

It was three in the morning and Ajay was going over notes for a play he had stumbled across and asked to direct when his phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, and he accepted the call hesitantly. 

“ _Ajay!_ ” He hadn’t gotten a chance to speak when he heard a loud singing voice belt his name into the phone. He hastily pulled the phone away from his ear until the note was done to save his hearing. 

“Uh, speaking?” 

“It do be Bailey! Listen, you gotta pick me up!” Her voice was slurred and tipsy, and he wondered about where she was calling from. 

“Are you drunk? Where are you?” 

“Yes….I’m at the police station.”

“Jesus, what?”

“I said it! Jeez,” she hiccuped into the phone. 

“I’ll be right there, just don’t do anything else stupid.”

Ten minutes later, Ajay had arrived at the police station. He felt somewhat awkward in his pajama pants and an old camp t-shirt from high school, but he walked up to the main desk, trying to summon the confidence Bailey displays onstage. 

“Hi, I’ve never really done this before, but I’m here to pick someone up? From jail,” he tried to give an easy smile, but it came off as more of a grimace. The secretary gave a nod and a small chuckle.

“Ajay Bhandari, I presume?”

“Uh, yeah! For Bailey Jenkins. How’d you know?”

“It was a quiet night before she came in and started singing your name. She’s got an impressive set of pipes, though.” The woman whistled. “I’ll get you in with Officer Olson.” As if cued in, an older officer walked up and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Ajay?” 

Ajay nodded and followed the man back to the cells. The closer they got, the more he could hear a voice carrying across the room. 

“She won’t stop,” Olson sighed, looking exhausted. They walked into the cell and upon seeing Ajay, Bailey gasped and stopped singing. 

“Ajay! Yay! Wow, those rhyme!” she exclaimed, words slurring. 

“Fill out these papers and she can leave.” Olson pushed a packet of papers and a pen into his hands. After a few minutes of signing his name on various lines, she was released and rushed into his arms. Ajay maintained his balance and held her close as she nuzzled her face into his chest, smearing some of her mascara on his shirt. 

“Alright, you can head home with your boyfriend,” Olson said, collecting the papers and shoving them into a folder on his desk.

“Oh! I’m not--” Ajay began, but Bailey gasped as she pulled himself closer to him. 

“Yes! Take me home, baby!” she yelled and clung to him.

“Uh, sorry, sir, but what exactly was she arrested for?” Ajay struggled to support the girl in his arms as she fidgeted, akin to a toddler in a grocery store. 

“She broke a guy’s nose in a bar.” It was so casually said that it felt like being hit by a train to Ajay.

“Assault?!” he exclaimed and got a collection of stares from the officers in the room. “Sorry, I just…” He looked down at Bailey, who was sleeping and drooling on his shirt. 

“Yeah, she’s lucky the guy didn’t press charges. Keep her safe, Ajay.” Olson finished with a clap on his shoulder, jolting Bailey awake. 

“Oh, hello…” She wiggled her eyebrows at Ajay, who rolled his eyes and led her out to his rarely used car. Another ten minute drive to his apartment consisted of Bailey’s drunk ramblings and Ajay feeling like an unpaid babysitter. He felt bad about not knowing where to take her, but thought his apartment was the safest bet. He decided to just sleep on the couch and let her take the bed. 

He walked into his bedroom with an extra blanket and started setting things up for her to sleep with as she sat on the bed struggling to pull her large boots off.

“Need help?” After a few minutes of hearing her frustrated groans, he walked in front of her and kneeled down without waiting for an answer.

“Thank you. Take my pants off,” she commanded after both shoes hit the floor. Ajay snorted, not finding it in his sleep deprived state to be flustered like he usually would. 

“Excuse me?”

“They’re really tight. I need help.” Despite his previous aloof statement, he nervously cleared his throat. 

“Uh, ok.” His hands traveled to her waistband and undid the line of buttons that acted as a zipper. He stressed over the best way to do it in the least sexual way possible until Bailey angrily beat her hands against the bed, impatiently falling back so she was laying down with her legs hanging off the bed. Her top rose to reveal the smooth skin of her stomach and Ajay bit his lip in worry. 

“Hurry up!” 

“Well, fuck me, _princess_. Gimme a few minutes,” Ajay shot back, hooking his fingers through her belt loops and experimentally pulling. He would be lying if he said her impatient demand didn’t turn him on a little bit. That combined with the inherent sexuality of him undressing her was enough to drive any guy wild, and Ajay wasn’t an exception. Her jeans came off easily with his pulling, so he decided to simply peel the clothing off her legs. The method proved successful as her black underwear and long legs were slowly revealed, prompting a blush to rise to his cheeks. He glanced at Bailey and saw her eyes closed as she laid down on the bed. He wanted to take his hands and--

 _Fuck._ _Stop it, perv. She’s drunk and most likely sleeping. Let’s not._

He shook his head at himself and walked over to his dresser to grab a pair of his pajama bottoms for her to wear. She sat up and walked over to him, and he held the pants open for her on the floor as if dressing a child. She grabbed his shoulder to steady herself as she struggled to step into them. 

“Please tell me you can take off your shirt and bra yourself,” Ajay looked at her without much hope. She glared and huffed at him. 

“Yes I can!” she declared before grabbing the hem of her shirt and lifting it above her head. Ajay would’ve been extremely embarrassed at her hasty exposure had she not gotten stuck in the collar hole. “...Help, please.” Her voice sounded through the thin layer of clothing. Ajay gently took the collar and stretched it around her head for her, trying to ignore the intimacy of their actions and closeness. She stood in front of him in his pajama bottoms and a bra, and he thought she was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. 

“Shirt, please?” she said, words still flowing together from her inebriated state. Without thinking, he grabbed the hem of his own shirt and tore it off his body. She took the shirt in his hand and stared at him in shock. “I--”

“It’s okay, I prefer to sleep shirtless anyway, I get hot easily.”  
  
“You’re telling me.” She was still staring at his broad chest, the muscles well defined by his years of exercise. She reached out a hand and brushed her fingertips against a small tattoo etched above his heart. He flinched at her touch.

“Sorry, your hands are cold.” He gave a slight laugh. She splayed her hand out next to the design of a whale. 

“What’s this?”

“It’s for my brother. He’s a marine biologist in Hawaii right now, but he used to watch this documentary show, like, a million times when he was younger.” Ajay chuckled at the memory. “I got a whale to bond with him, like you and Casey. Mohit, my brother, has Melpomene and Thalia masks, since I’m trying to make it as a director,” Ajay finished his explanation with a sigh, but he didn’t dare move for fear of losing her touch. They stood there for minutes or hours, couldn’t tell, until Bailey moved closer to him. Her hands were cold, but her face warmed his chest as she pressed against his body. He looked down at her and she blinked back up at him with long eyelashes. Their lips met in a gradual passion that built up the longer they kissed. 

Kissing Bailey was exactly like her music; it started off slow but eventually rose until you could feel yourself slipping into the song. She was blunt and eagerly pulled his waist closer so that their hips grinded together. He let out a moan into her mouth and she ran her hands up to his hair. It was dark and thick, and he groaned even louder as she tugged on the locks. Her mouth moved to pepper kisses along his jawline and neck, giving him a moment of clarity to realize that he didn’t want to take advantage of her like this. He firmly placed his hands on her hips and pushed her away. She whined in frustration.

“What’s wrong?” She pouted at him and the longer he stared at her, the harder it was to keep his resolve. 

“You’re extremely drunk and it wouldn’t be right. I’m sorry, Bailey,” he said sternly before grabbing his shirt that had gotten thrown on the floor. She broke away and put on the shirt that he handed her. She winced as she looked at it.

“Sorry about that,” she said, throwing it over her head. Ajay didn’t know if she was talking about her being a fantastic kisser or about the makeup stain on the cloth. 

“Oh, that’s fine, don’t worry about it. I have some makeup wipes in the bathroom.” Bailey proved able to take her bra off under her shirt, but she still had trouble walking without struggling. Ajay guessed that the heat of the moment before probably set off something with the alcohol, preventing her from walking straight, so he gently escorted her to the bathroom. He grabbed a hair tie Skye had left on the counter and used it to tie up Bailey’s hair as she bent over the toilet bowl. Through the sounds, Ajay rubbed her back to try and comfort her. After a few minutes, she seemed to slow down, and he took the lull as an opportunity to get water from his kitchen. He heated up some leftover pizza and brought the steaming plate to the bathroom to see that Bailey had gotten up from the floor and was staring at herself in the mirror. 

“I provide sustenance,” he said, setting the pizza down on the limited counter space. She grabbed the water bottle and greedily chugged it, droplets running down her chin and neck. “Okay, then. Here, sit down.” Ajay closed the toilet lid and grabbed a makeup wipe while she got situated. He bent down and got on his knees on the floor, spreading her legs apart so he could sit between them. She took a piece of pizza off the counter and ate it while he went to work getting her makeup off. Ajay figured that she would be most honest around this time and took advantage of that as he asked her questions. She answered in between bites of pizza. 

“So...why’d you hit him?” 

There was a long time before she answered.

“He was saying things. About the bartender. Wouldn’t shut up about him. I had to shut the asshole up somehow.” She spoke as if she expected a scolding, but Ajay gave her a kind smile instead.

“I heard you broke his nose...I’m glad he looks worse.” His cleaning of her face was briefly interrupted by her boisterous laughter. She finally calmed down and he asked another question as he resumed cleaning. “Why not call your bandmates? I'm not mad you called me or anything; I’m just surprised I was your first choice.”  
  
“Lilith is out of town right now, and Rory and Casey are both taking rigorous courses to get their degrees. I couldn’t burden them with my problems.” Ajay finished washing her face off and handed her a toothbrush so she could wash up better. He was about to give her some privacy by leaving, but before he exited, he turned to her.

“I’m glad you called me.”

He was setting up his couch bed when she walked out and watched him.

“You’re not sleeping here, are you?”

“I don’t mind. You can take the bed.”  
  
“Well, I was wondering…” Bailey wrung her hands and her gaze fell on every other piece of the room besides Ajay. “Can you sleep with me? Like, in the bed, I mean. I feel bad for stealing it from you.” She looked extremely worried by her request, and Ajay’s gaze softened as he nodded.

“Sure.”

They walked together to the bedroom, and Ajay helped Bailey get settled in. He didn’t want to portray the real anxiety going on about the situation he was in, so he simply laid down on top of the comforter and threw a thin blanket over himself. By the time he even thought of getting to sleep, Bailey’s breathing had evened out beside him. He listened to the comfortable pattern of her breath, a million thoughts going through his head to keep him up. He inhaled sharply as Bailey shifted next to him and threw her hand across his body. She pulled herself closer to him until she was sweetly nuzzling her face into his neck. He turned slightly and slowly put his entire body under the comforter, trying hard not to wake her. He held her closer and drifted to sleep faster than he had in years. 


	5. All I Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun in the kitchen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEAVY SMUT i just felt like writing it. THESE CHARACTERS ARE ADULTS IN THIS FICTION so please enjoy!!

Ajay woke up around ten and wondered what the thing breathing next to him was. The events of the early morning came rushing back to him. Bailey snored slightly as she laid on his chest, hair splayed across his skin. He watched her for a while and gently ran his fingertips across her back, but he stilled as his stomach rumbled. Slowly, he lifted her torso off of his body and left the bed. 

“‘Jay…” Bailey groaned and he froze. She didn’t seem to be awake, just sleep-talking. He pulled the blankets up over her more and she shifted to burrow into the pillows more. He leaned against the doorway and looked at her wrapped in the blankets with a grin on his face. 

_She’s incredible_. His feet lightly padded on the tile as he walked to his kitchen and started a breakfast of bacon and waffles. After a few minutes of the food sizzling, he heard another pair of feet behind him and felt arms wrap around his middle. Bailey pressed her hand into his back, causing him to happily hum. 

“Nice night?”

“Why is bacon so loud?”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Hangover’s a bitch, huh?”

“Yes, now lower your voice. Your bed is really comfortable, though. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem.” He shrugged and continued cooking, but she took his face in her hands as she moved closer to him. Their noses almost touched and her piercings glinted in the light as she spoke. 

“I mean it. Thank you.” She gave an embarrassed smile. “And I’m sorry for coming onto you...it was really stupid and I--”

“I didn’t mind.” He gave a quick glance to her lips. “I _don’t_ mind.” The tension was tangible between them as they stared at each other. Without breaking eye contact with her, Ajay moved the pan off the burner. His voice lowered and he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “You want to continue? Now that you’re sober.”

“Kiss me, please.” Their lips met and Ajay could feel the energy behind his movements. He grabbed her hips and pushed them back against the counter as she pulled his hair, causing his neck to be exposed. 

“I remember that from last night. Someone likes it rough, huh?” She gave him a smug smile and playfully tugged harder, prompting a loud moan from his lips. She sucked on his neck as his hands roamed her ass. “You sound so pretty,” she praised and he let out a short breath. He lifted her onto the counter without her lips detaching from his neck. 

“Take my pants off,” she said, a defiant look in her eye as she stared at him. Her lips were swollen and red, and he could barely see the color of her eyes. He gave her a smirk.

“Well, fuck me, _princess_. Gimme a minute,” he joked and she rolled her eyes. 

“That’s the goal, jerk,” she said, smiling and lifting her hips so her pants could come off. He could feel his excitement growing as his lips traveled down her jaw and his hands slipped her underwear off. His kisses eventually traced a path down to the collar of her shirt. She huffed and ripped it off her body, exposing herself completely to him. 

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” he breathed out and continued his path down her body. He stopped on her breasts and took a nipple in his mouth, listening to her moans as he tasted her skin.

“Ajay, need more,” she groaned and leaned her head back against the cabinet, fingers threaded through his hair. She pushed his head down and he could feel himself grow harder at the thought of pleasuring her. He kissed down her stomach until he reached her thighs. He slipped a finger in her as his mouth latched onto her clit. “Fuck, baby, just like that.”  
  
He curled his finger and hit her sweet spot, causing her to cry out. Her hands tugged at his hair hard and he moaned, vibrations creating even more pleasure for her. She came with his name on her lips, and he decided that it was better than any song Daisy Lace could release. She caught her breath only to have it stolen again when his lips returned to hers. He placed his hands under her ass and lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist without breaking apart from her. He almost tripped walking to the couch in the living area but finally collapsed with her straddling his thighs. She lifted herself up to let him take his pajama bottoms off before slowly sinking back down onto him. They both slowly exhaled at the feeling of being completed by the other.

“You feel so good, Ajay,” she whispered in his ear as she adjusted to his size and he tightened his hold on her hips with a grip sure to leave bruises for a while. She began to move on him, drawing out little sounds from him. 

“I love how you sound, Ajay. So perfect for me,” she breathed out and he got even louder the closer he got to his climax. She bounced faster on him and the only sound in the room was the sound of their moans. 

“Keep talking, please,” Ajay grunted and threw his head back on the cushion behind him. 

“As soon as I saw you in the crowd, I thought about how sexy you’d look in this exact position. I was so right,” she murmured and got a growl in response. He pounded harder into her, which she took as a signal that the more she praised him, the better the sex between them. “You in those crop tops turned me on so much, I could barely focus on my music. _Fuck_ , you feel so good. You fill me up so perfectly--ah!” she screamed as he held her close to him and bit into her neck to get her to climax. Stars flooded her vision and he muffled his moan with her skin as he came with her. They took a few minutes to come down from their highs, but Ajay was the first to break the silence. 

“Fuck.” Bailey gave a laugh and nuzzled her face into his neck. 

“If that was a good fuck, then yes, I agree. Wanna join me in the shower?” She raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a mischievous smile, which he returned. 

“Definitely, and then I’ll make us another breakfast,” he promised, giving her a wicked grin and a wink. “Although, I did enjoy my first one.”


	6. Teenagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bailey visits Ajay at work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! sorry i havent been posting as much, ive been doing a lot of stuff. i got the part in the play! so thats dope. i made this one a little bit longer than i usually write chapters to make up for how long ive been gone. enjoy!! also please remember that these are FULL ADULTS DOING ADULT THINGS tank u

“You fucked him already?” Lilith’s voice crackled through the speaker as Bailey moved around Ajay’s room. 

“Uh...yeah!” She said, still in a slight daze from the affairs of the morning. He was out in the kitchen making another breakfast as promised, and she was pulling on a pair of his clean boxers and her bra to wear. 

“Damn, you don’t play around. Or, I guess you do.”

  
“Oh, shut up. As if _you_ wouldn’t jump Skye’s bones the first chance you get.”

  
“I…” she paused. “Well, you’re right. So...are y’all like...dating now?”

Bailey froze at the question and looked around the room. Her clothes were strewn about the floor, and it looked like she already lived there. Despite her dreams of world fame for her band, she did want to settle down...eventually. With Ajay, what would that look like?

She knew that he wanted to be a director, and that he currently taught high school biology. He taught students in the extremely underfunded arts department, but would he ever need to move to direct something bigger? Would her dreams ever take a backseat to his?

Yet she didn’t view him as that type of person. He was a compassionate man, and he obviously cared about her career. Living with him and dating him would most likely consist of sweet post-it notes on the fridge and breakfast made for her each day. 

“If you hung up on my, I swear to fu--”

“No! Sorry, I’m still here. I think…” She heard him play music in the kitchen as he cooked. “I think we’ll figure it out as we go.”

“I’ll accept it. Well, my mom is going to give me the monthly lecture on my life path, so I have to go. Talk later?”

“Yeah, good luck. Later.” She put her phone face down and looked into the floor-length mirror attached to the back of the closet door to see Ajay staring at her fondly from the doorway into the room. 

“Breakfast is ready.” His smile was sweet and she felt like she was glowing under his gaze. 

“Perfect.” She bounded over to him and kissed him hard. He let out a surprised noise before melting into her touch. Her hands were still cold on his neck, but the smooth skin of her back was warm under his fingertips. They broke for air and Bailey gave him a grin. “You should carry me.”

Without a second thought, Ajay grabbed her waist and flung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She let out a yelp and a giggle as she weakly pounded on his back. Laughing maniacally, he ran to the kitchen, making it a point to jostle her around as much as possible on the way. He threw her down on the couch and retrieved a plate from the counter as she recovered. 

“Your wish is my command, princess,” he said, winking. Bailey felt out of breath from their activity, but he didn’t seem to have broken a sweat. His shirt was still off, but he had donned simple grey sweatpants (the way to any girl’s heart and underwear) after their time in the shower together. “Also, you look pretty hot in my clothes, not gonna lie.” He eyed her hungrily, and normally Bailey would have felt insecure under such a gaze, but with Ajay, it was different. He revered her, and it was so plain to see as his eyes raked her body before returning to hold her stare. She sat up and he leaned down, meeting in the middle for a gentle kiss. 

“Smells delicious.” She turned her attention to the food as he returned to the kitchen to fetch his own plate. Upon his return, he settled down next to her on the couch and turned on a sappy rom-com. 

“How exactly did you know that these are my guilty pleasure?” Bailey nuzzled her face into his neck and snuggled even closer to him when he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. 

“Ten minutes in a car with Drunk Bailey is enough to listen to your life story.”

* * *

"So you fucked her already?” Skye asked as she walked along the sidewalk with Ajay to work. 

“Well, announce it for the city to hear, why don’t you?” It was beginning to grow slightly chillier with the cycle of fall beginning, and Ajay hugged his coffee closer to his body. Skye barked out a sharp laugh.

“Sorry, it’s just...you guys work fast, huh?”

“Funny, that’s almost exactly what Lilith said.”

Skye straightened up at the mention of her crush. “Oh, yeah?”

“Don’t look so eager; desperation isn’t a good look on you,” he teased and nudged her as they flashed their I.D.'s at the school’s front door scanner. 

Hartfeld High’s halls were already filled with the smell of something cinnamon-y from the teachers heating up their breakfasts. Ajay and Skye both waved to the coworkers they passed until eventually, they had to break apart to get their classrooms ready. Skye, who taught Art and Technical Drawing, set up the different tools and utensils her students would need for their drawings. Ajay prepared his multiple slideshows and lab sheets for the study of plant cells the kids were doing. He heard his phone _ping_ from across the room, and hurried to get to it before his students came meandering in for first period.

BAILEY: _I have a surprise for you today_

AJAY: _Better not be too sexy, my students would enjoy it too much_

BAILEY: _Hardee har. Nothing of that sort. Get your mind out of the gutter, Mr. Bhandari_

AJAY: _Can’t wait_

He smiled down at the screen, ignoring the scream of the bell and the loud chattering of his students. 

“Yo, Mr. B! Who’s that?” Trevor called from the back, and he hastily looked up. 

“Ooh, Mr. Bhandari’s got a girlfriend,” Britney taunted from the front row, yet Ajay still detected slight disappointment in her tone of the jab.

“Alright, that’s enough.” His stern delivery was undermined by the smile still plastered on his face from his interaction with Bailey. 

“Oh, please. No offense, but you’re way too dorky to have a girlfriend, Mr. Bhandari,” Grace piped up from the left side of the classroom. 

“You know, I do actually take offense to that--”

“Is it gonna be like in the Disney shows where you’re gonna be so in love that you’ll give us good grades?”

“Well, not anymore,” Ajay joked and laughed at the groans that swept across the room. “Now, my personal life has nothing to do with biology, so let’s get focused, alright?” 

“It has everything to do with _chemistry_ , thought, right?” Britney winked at him and gave him a bright smile. 

“Which I don’t have a degree in, so we won’t need it, Britney.”

* * *

Two more classes passed until lunch, and Ajay eagerly sat at his desk in his room to eat. Skye joined him and the two idly chatted with a few students that wandered in to work on school work or escape the chaos of the cafeteria. Ajay didn’t look at the doorway when he heard somebody knock, but he called for them to freely walk in. Upon hearing a whistle from his students, he glanced up with a disapproving glare. 

“Hey, watch it--oh!” His look of anger morphed into one of surprise as he spotted Bailey leaning against the doorway. 

“‘Sup. Figured you two could use some lunch,” she said, offering a smile while she lightly shook a bag from McDermot’s in her hand. 

“Wait...is this who you were texting in class?” Britney piped up from her spot in the room before typing something into her phone.

“Wow, texting in class, Mr. Bhandari?” Bailey teased and passed out the food to the teachers at the front of the classroom. Pretty soon, Ajay’s entire first period class had returned to the room to see the mysterious girlfriend their teacher brought.

“Yo! She’s actually hot!” Trevor whistled and approached her. “Forget this science nerd, how about you come home with a real man.” He puffed his chest out and winked. 

“A lovely offer, but I’ll have to decline,” Bailey giggled, glancing back at Ajay, whose brows furrowed at his student.

“Wait, I know you!” Grace called, getting closer to Bailey and pulling out her phone. She searched for a few seconds before finding a picture of Bailey at one of her band’s shows at the Horse Cave, most likely taken off the website of the venue since Grace was too young to go herself. She held the picture up to Bailey’s face and gasped when they matched. “You’re in my favorite band!” Bailey held up her hands and laughed. 

“You got me, kid.”

“Mr. Bhandari! How could you not tell us you were dating a rock singer?” Grace pointed an accusatory finger at him and his students began yelling about how cool Bailey was. Skye laughed and looked at Ajay, who glanced around helplessly at the crowd of kids in his classroom. 

“Alright, that’s enough!” He stood and yelled, immediately quieting his kids. “You guys are way too loud.”

“I bet your sex is, too,” Trevor joked. Ajay’s face reddened as he stuttered at the unexpected taunt, trying to come up with a response. Bailey stepped in to help.

“That’s none of your business, but I appreciate the implication. Now, if you want me to answer questions about what it’s like to be a rockstar, you guys _will_ sit down and quietly raise your hands.” She spoke sternly, causing every child to quickly find a seat and look up at her expectantly. Skye leaned over and whispered to Ajay. 

“Damn, she might be even better at teaching than you.” Ajay rolled his eyes. 

“Maybe.” In all truth, seeing Bailey so stern and commanding was affecting him in the most positive way possible. It of course didn’t help that the skirt she was wearing accentuated her ass perfectly, to the point where he couldn’t keep his eyes from drifting. When she walked in, he could see the marks he left on her neck, which she wore with a shamelessly low cut shirt. Skye could easily follow his gaze, but spoke nothing of it; she wanted to see how this would pan out. He watched Bailey confidently answer each question and thought about their time in the kitchen. The rest of that day had been spent talking, watching TV, and fucking even more, and it easily became one of Ajay’s favorite memories despite having happened just a few days before. She was just so _perfect_ , that Ajay didn’t want to completely fuck it up before it had time to go anywhere. 

“Mr. B, stop staring at her ass and answer the question,” Trevor called, giggles erupting across the room. 

“Huh?” He glanced up to find everyone staring at him. 

“Babe...he’s right,” Bailey taunted, a twinkling in her eye evident as she winked at him. 

“Trevor, language. Now, what was the question?”

“Is Bailey helping with the musical?” Britney asked. 

“Oh! Uh--” Ajay knit his brows together. The musical. He’d almost forgotten about it. “Well, I’m sure that we could use all the help we could get because of the budget cuts, if she’d be willing to offer her services.” He looked hopefully at Bailey, who looked as youthful as one of his students with her eyes wide and shining. 

“Hell yeah! Oh, sorry,” she yelled before covering her mouth with guilt. As if on cue, the bell signifying the end of lunch rang, and Ajay’s students hurried out the door. Ajay had a free planning period, but Skye didn’t, so she said goodbye to the couple and went back to her classroom. Ajay and Bailey were alone. 

“You’re pretty good with kids, you know.”

“I hope so, I am a dance teacher after all.” Ajay blinked in surprise. 

“Really? I guess there’s a lot I still get to learn about you.” She raised her eyebrows at him.

“Oh, really?” She began to take steps over to where he sat at his desk. He swallowed heavily and looked around at his empty classroom, nervous about the look in her eyes. 

“Bailey, my door is open and anyone can look in. I--”

“How naughty, Mr. Bhandari! What are you thinking in that intelligent head of yours, huh?”

“Maybe about how you are going to get me fired, you minx.” She had reached his chair and slowly sat on his lap to straddle his legs, skirt bunched up to her thighs. “If my boss were to come in here or, God forbid, a student-”

“Shh, Mr. Bhandari…” She gave sweet kisses down his neck and gently rubbed his chest over his shirt. His heart pounded as he finally gave in to her seduction with a slight moan. She moved her hips and grinded against him, causing him to let out even more noise for her. A distant laugh down the hallway ripped Ajay’s mind from the girl in his lap. 

“Fuck, Bailey,” he whispered as he gently pushed her off him. “I still have two more periods.”

“And I also have to get to work.” She gave him an innocent smile. “Have fun,” she teased, swaying her hips on her walk out of the room. He laughed and rubbed his face vigorously, trying to break himself out of her daze. 

_What is she doing to me?_

It was like she clouded his mind in the best way possible, seeping into his pores and thoughts. Students began to flood into the room at the sound of the bell, and he looked down at his lap. 

_Fuck._


	7. Self Esteem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ajay and Bailey run a rehearsal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! this wasn't supposed to be this long but it is so enjoy!! Please remember that these are adults and are doing adult things!! there is smut in this chapter that begins with "it was just Ajay and Bailey alone again" and ends with "you have a show tonight right?" so skip over that section if youre not into it, which i totally get!! please enjoy it!!!

Luckily, both classes after lunch had tests, so Ajay could easily hide an obvious bulge in his pants as he sat at his desk. He kept glancing at the clock, waiting until he could get to rehearsal for the musical. Bailey had texted him before she went to class that she would be there for it, and he got more and more nervous the more the clock’s hands moved. 

He couldn’t help worrying that maybe she would think he was a loser for his investment in the theatre program, but he tried to shake the thought away. _She likes working with kids. She likes me. It will be fine._ He attempted to focus on grading the tests in front of him, but it proved impossible as Bailey drifted back into his mind. _I’m one kiss away from doodling our names together in my notebook. Get it together,_ he thought, shaking his head. _I’m supposed to be the teacher, not the teenager._

After what felt like hours, the final bell rang and Ajay booked it to the small auditorium, barely locking the classroom door behind his students. He walked into the room and immediately spotted the students who were cast for their production of _Beauty and the Beast_. The doors slammed shut behind him and everyone’s eyes turned towards him.

“Hey, everyone. I’m guessing you’ve met Bailey already?” he asked, projecting his voice much louder than needed to disguise the fact that his heart was leaping out of his chest. She stood and walked into the aisle to greet him despite the taunts from the students. “Alright, everyone. Let’s dive right in with the first song. Leah, you’ve been working on choreography, right?”

“A little bit.”

“Great! Bailey, would you mind going through it with her?”

“No prob, Bob,” she responded with a smile and he laughed at her weird statement. Two of his students stage whispered for everyone to hear. 

“What’s it doing?”

“Why...it seems to be... _laughing?!_ ”

“Ah, interesting development! It’s never engaged in such activity before!”

The cast laughed as Ajay rolled his eyes and dove into rehearsal. For the next few hours, Ajay remained in the zone as he directed. He felt completely in control, and with two adults working through the play with the kids, a lot of work got done, so it was soon time for the students to leave. All too soon, it was just Bailey and Ajay alone again. 

“That was amazing work with the choreography,” Ajay complimented, sitting in one of the squeaky auditorium chairs. Bailey sat in a chair next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. 

“You did amazing work too, Mr. Bhandari.” The statement itself was casual, but the tone insinuated much more happening in Bailey’s mind. The thought made Ajay’s pants slightly tight and uncomfortable. He swallowed thickly and watched her hand drift down his shirt and over the front of his jeans. Her hands brushed his zipper, and his breath hitched. “You know, you’re pretty hot when you’re in control.” She spoke low into his ear, causing him to let out a loaded exhale that betrayed his cool demeanor. She teased him by playing with his jean button, and his breath quickened. She leaned into him to kiss down his jaw and neck, prompting a low moan to erupt from Ajay’s throat. Still fiddling with the button, she moved her lips back to his ear. 

“ _What do you want, baby?_ ” At the request, Ajay lost all control and let out a loud groan as their lips collided. He unbuttoned his jeans himself, but her hand quickly replaced his as she unzipped his jeans and shoved down the waistband of his boxers, taking him in her hand and giving a few test strokes. His mouth broke from hers as he threw his head back, letting out sounds to rival a porn star. She slowed her hand down to tease him, and he let out a whimper when she gently took his chin in her hand to get him to look at her. “Tell me.” 

He opened his mouth and closed it, head foggy with the desire he had for her. He didn’t know what he wanted; the only word that came to mind was _more_. Her eyes bore into his, pupils dilated and breath quick. 

“Hmm?” she asked, changing her rhythm sporadically. The movements made his brain short-circuit, making it even harder for him to answer. Finally, words came to mind, and he blurted them out. 

“Blow me.” She laughed at his insistence on remaining at least slightly modest with his words, and he quickly quieted her as he leaned in to speak low into her ear. “I want to see that pretty mouth wrapped around my dick, sweetheart.” His hands found the back of her head and pushed her head into his lap, causing her to do just what he wanted. He controlled her pace by tugging on her hair and established a quick rhythm with her with his hips thrusting to meet her mouth. His tip brushed the back of her throat, and he threw his head back again to let out a cry. 

“Fuck, baby, just like that. I’m so close,” he groaned, his voice and the creak of the chairs being the only sound in the room. She moaned around his dick, and the pleasure coming from that simple action pushed him over the edge. His grip tightened on her hair as she swallowed before finally bringing her head up to his. He crashed their lips together, tasting himself on her tongue and gasping into her mouth. “Come here.” 

He pulled her into his lap to continue kissing her, zipping up and buttoning his pants in the process without breaking away from her. She straddled one of his thighs and subconsciously ground on him, aching for her own release. Her skirt was bunched up around her thighs again, and he gripped hard enough to leave bruises that she would surely show off at her next show. He moved his hands up to clutch her hips and pushed her down harder onto his leg while moving her body across the fabric. She broke from the kiss to let out a gasp at the feeling, and Ajay pulled her head down to his to talk to her. 

“That feel good? You wanna come all over my thigh?” She could only nod as she moved faster, immensely turned on from his stern tone. “I've been thinking about you since lunch when you got me all excited? You’re so naughty, knowing that I couldn’t do anything about it. Why should I let you come, huh?” The heat blazing behind his gaze drew her in. 

“Please, Ajay, I want to so bad. Please, baby, please let me.” She desperately clawed at his chest and moaned loud, trying to convince him. “You feel so good and I--”

“Come for me, Bailey,” he whispered to her, his voice raspy and commanding. Her eyes closed and she let out a melodic cry, body overtaken by pleasure as she crashed. He watched her closely, obsessed with the way her face contorted for him. She came down from her high, panting and breathless. He kissed her and helped her up from her seat on his thigh, allowing her to lean on him due to her shaky legs. She finally regained her composure and gathered her things, getting ready to head out the door with Ajay. They spoke casually as if nothing had happened. 

“You have a show tonight, right?”

“Yeah, you coming?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

Bailey smiled and lifted her head to look at him, her face still flushed. “You wanna help me get ready?”

“Like, at your apartment?” Ajay’s heart pounded even harder and she nodded and took his hand. 

“It’s a five-minute walk from here. Let’s go.”

* * *

The apartment was a studio, pristinely displayed and sizeable. The door opened up to a small kitchen, and upon entering, Ajay could see a bar fastened to the wall next to her bed. He assumed that was where she practiced dancing. A small nook that served as a bedroom area was nestled off to the side, and Ajay got a distinct feeling of Bailey’s calming nature from looking around the space. She moved around her areas comfortably, picking out an outfit from a hanging rack against the wall opposite the bar. She noticed him awkwardly watching her and gave him an easy smile, hoping it would relax him more; his shoulders seemed to unclench as he returned the smile. 

“Make yourself at home. I have to change really quick,” she said, grabbing her outfit and moving to walk back to the bathroom. 

“Wait,” Ajay spoke without thinking and opened his mouth, desperately clinging onto some semblance of thought that he tried to communicate with words. When he realized that it wouldn’t work, he crossed the space between them, lessening the distance keeping them apart. Before either of them knew what was happening, his lips were on hers with a fiery passion he had never recognized within himself before he met Bailey. 

She pulled him impossibly closer to her body, her hands raking his body as his fingers tangled in her hair. All too soon, she backed her head away, breaking the kiss. He let out a whimper. 

“Lilith is going to kill me if I’m late for our set, ‘Jay,” she whispered, and Ajay felt his brain short-circuit for the second time in an hour at the nickname. He nodded, unable to find the word ‘yes’ in his vocabulary in this context. His head was full of the girl in his arms, breathing in her scent, basking in the warm glow of her smile. He never wanted to let go. “I can get you exclusive backstage access, though. It would be a good opportunity for Skye and Lil, too.” Bailey winked and planted a kiss on his cheek before pulling away entirely. Ajay eagerly nodded again, trying to hide his disappointment at the loss of her warmth. He finally regained the use of his vocal cords as she began to pull her clothes off the change. A surprised vowel escaped his lips before he could stop it, and his cheeked blushed red as she giggled at him. 

“Is this okay?” she asked. 

“Uh, oh! Yeah, of course, this is your home, I mean, who am I to tell you what to do in your own home?” His head screamed at him to _shut up for two minutes_ , but it only made her laugh harder as she undressed. 

“You’re cute when you’re nervous. Grab my boots for me?” She pointed to a rack of shoes across from the door with a free hand as she used the other to pull up a sinfully short skirt that, as Ajay guessed, showed off the marks he had left on her. The rack was decorated with numerous pairs of shoes, all heels or platforms; the only pair that wasn’t was some well-worn tennis shoes. He walked over to the rack and picked up some boots that he thought matched her outfit well. 

“Hm...not what I would have chosen, but I like your balls, Bhandari,” she joked, pulling them on to complete her look. He smiled, unable to prevent the strong feeling of pride at both his mark on display and her style compliment. She glanced at him and laughed. “Don’t let that go to your head. You ready?” He stuck out his tongue and nodded, texting Skye that he would meet her at the Horse Cave for a surprise. 

SKYE: _If she’s preggo, I better not be the godmother. I’d fuck that kid up worse than you would._

Ajay elected not to respond just to fuck with his best friend as he and Bailey left the apartment. On their walk to Bailey’s show, she seemed to get quiet and pensive. Worried that she was nervous, Ajay gently nudged her and asked what she was thinking about. 

“What do you like about me?” she blurted out after a long silence between them. Ajay blinked in surprise. “I just don’t know what you’re in this for.”

“What _don’t_ I like about you is an easier question to ask, since the answer would be ‘nothing.’” he answered, staring ahead and acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“That’s a total cop-out.”

“Fine. I like you because….you’re intoxicating. You feel like home to me, yet I can always count on a new experience with you. I’ve known you for a few weeks now, but it feels like we grew up together, like, you know all of my secrets and I know all of yours. Yet, I catch myself and remember that there’s so much more to learn about you. It both terrifies and thrills me. I’ve never felt like this before, Bailey.” He finished his confession and only then realized that he had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to talk face-to-face with her. Passersby had stopped to listen as well and some even clapped at the end of his speech, watching to see what the couple would do next. Ajay ignored them and only focused on wiping the tears that had dripped from Bailey’s eyes. She gave a small self-conscious laugh and leaned her face into his palm.

“Your ex must have been pretty stupid to give you up, huh?” Ajay bristled at the mention of Danielle, and Bailey’s face fell. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

“It’s fine. I’m sorry for being weird,” he quickly reassured, his hand returning to caress her cheek. “It seems we’ve drawn up quite the crowd,” he whispered to her, his voice low and slightly raspy.

“Wanna give ‘em something to look at?”

“Absolutely.” Without another word, Ajay swept Bailey into a kiss as he held her in his arms and dipped her low, the tips of her hair brushing the ground. The crowd whooped and hollered at the spectacle, and Ajay smiled into the kiss as he lifted her back upright. The people dispersed and the couple continued their walk to the venue, hand in hand.


	8. Jessie's Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment backstage and a moment in the crowd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am currently in GA writing this since im staying with my grandparents for a few weeks. this also means that i think ill have a lot more time on my hands and might be uploading a lot more!! i hope you guys enjoy!!!

Skye met the couple near the doors inside the venue, impatiently tapping her foot on the cement ground. “Took you long enough. So, when’s the baby shower?” Ajay rolled his eyes.

“Sorry, but you won’t be an aunt anytime soon.”

“Thank God. Now, what’s the surprise?” Ajay held up two name tags on lanyards in his hand as a response. 

“Backstage passes? I get to meet Tumbleweed?” she gasped. Bailey nodded and began showing the two friends to where the bands were getting set up on stage. A band was waiting just off the entrance to the stage, and Skye’s face flushed as the lead singer walked up to her. Lilith appeared behind them and waved a greeting before turning to the singer.

“Michael, this is Skye. She loves your music.” She introduced them and the three fell into casual conversation. Bailey pulled Ajay’s hand and he quickly turned his attention to her suggestive gaze, pure heat surrounding the iris focused on him. He quirked an eyebrow but followed her nonetheless. She led him to a small room backstage, heavily decorated with a well-worn couch, vanity and mirror set, and hundreds of posters and papers covering the walls. Upon closer inspection, Ajay found numbers, names, years, and pictures of previous bands who played a regular gig at the Horse Cave. 

“This place has been in business since the late 60s, and some of the best underground artists out there. Hundreds of famous people have probably fucked on that couch,” Bailey said, pointing at the drab plaid piece of furniture against the wall. Ajay’s neck almost snapped at the whiplash of the statement. She giggled at the look on his face. “What? I’m right.”

Ajay straightened his back and looked over her body, which was scantily clad in her tight short skirt and an even tighter tank top. She hadn’t bothered to cover her neck, so all the marks he’d made on her were on full display. Glancing down, he also spotted more of the bruises on her thighs from his death grip on her earlier in the auditorium. The thought of the crowd getting to see how she was all his from those marks made him hard as he looked at her. 

“What?” She cocked her head, pulling an innocent look despite knowing just what he was thinking about. 

“You wanna add to the numbers?” He quirked his eyebrow again before boldly sitting on the couch and spreading his legs slightly to hint at what he wanted. She heard him loud and clear. 

“Well, when you put it in those romantic terms, who wouldn’t?” She teased, walking over to him and sitting on his lap, her back pressed against his chest. He pressed his lips to her neck and then her ear in sweet kisses before nibbling on her earlobe.

“I can get dirtier if you’d prefer,” he whispered, low and hungry. He pulled Bailey’s hips back flush against his own so she could feel the obvious bulge caused by her, and she let out a moan at the feeling. “See what you do to me? Make my cock hard so easily with just a look.” He punctuated his statement with a swift bite to her neck, causing her to cry out and grind against him harder. His hand drifted down her body and found the hem of her skirt before eagerly pulling it up to find her core. He rubbed her over the thin cloth while nipping her exposed skin as she pressed herself into him. 

“You want more, princess?” he asked, rubbing faster and moving his other hand around to knead her breast over her tank top. He saw her head nod and stilled his attack on her sensitive spots, leading to a whimper that spilled from her lips. 

“‘Jay--”

“Say it.” She let out a groan at his demanding tone before trying to gain more friction by pushing against his groin, but he held her hips in place with a strong grip as he moved a hand up to her throat. He applied no pressure but felt her pulse quicken under his fingertips. 

“Please, Ajay, I wanna come all over your fingers, please baby, let me--”

“Good girl,” he growled and quickened his pace against her folds, dripping wet for him. She let out a scream and reached a hand back to tangle into his hair, pulling hard enough to make him moan into her skin. Her sounds were cut off by an aggressive knock at the door. 

“Bailey, stop fucking Ajay, we’re on in two minutes,” Lilith yelled from the hallway outside the door. Bailey’s voice cracked as she called out her response.

“Be right there!” Ajay resumed his ruthless pace over her underwear and she gasped at the feeling of the friction on her core. “Did you not--”

“I heard her. You’re just not lasting two minutes,” he said, sinking his teeth into her skin to send her over the edge. 

“Oh fuck, Ajay, _yes_!” she yelled and spasmed in his arms. She dragged his hand up to her mouth and placed his fingertips in her mouth, tasting herself on her tongue. Ajay let out a breathy moan before gently bringing her to her feet.

“Don’t want you to miss out on your set, baby,” he whispered, pulling her skirt down and kissing her sweetly. She sighed into it and pulled away. 

“See you out there?” she asked. He nodded and followed her closely out. 

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

* * *

"‘Sup, Horse Cave!” Bailey walked out on stage to cheers and whistles, a thin layer of sweat already prevalent from her activities prior to the set. Ajay watched with pride as she launched into her first song: “Short Skirt/Long Jacket.” Bailey’s numerous love bites and marks shone under the lights as she jumped around on stage, belting her heart out and sending kisses Ajay’s way throughout the night. Their set ended with an original song written by Casey, which turned into one of their most popular songs of the night with the loudest cheers from the crowd. Bailey shouted a goodbye before the band disappeared off stage and joined the crowd in welcoming the next band.

Bailey found Ajay positioned at his regular table, talking his Lilith and Skye over a few cups of beer. The two girls held hands under the table, and Lilith had a soft look in her eyes as her crush gushed about meeting her favorite band. Ajay gave the singer a kiss on the cheek as she walked up to the group, giggling from the affectionate action.

“Can you get me some beer, too?” she asked and watched his ass shamelessly as he walked away. Lilith nudged her and made a big show of wiping her lip.

“You’re drooling, moron.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Hey, you're the singer of Daisy Lace, right?” A young man walked up to the group and addressed Bailey nervously. She gave him a big grin and he seemed to instantly relax. She enjoyed the fact that she had that effect on people.

“Yeah! Did you enjoy the show?”

“Oh, absolutely! I was wondering if you wanted to dance.” He seemed to get a little more confident, and Bailey blinked in surprise. 

“Uh, I’m so sorry, but I’m here with someone,” she said, offering an apologetic smile. It dropped when he placed a hand on her forearm.

“I don’t think he would mind, huh princess?” The guy leaned into her face, and she grimaced at the smell of heavy alcohol on his breath. Lilith and Skye were paying attention now, but they both knew she could hold her own, so they sat back and watched. Lilith remained emotionless, but her hand tightened around the neck of her beer bottle just in case she needed a quick weapon. Bailey tried to move her hand, but his grip held strong. She looked down at her arm, held flat against the table, trying to think of her next move when she heard the guy’s painful grunt. 

“Let go of her, please.” A voice sounded from behind the man, and Bailey smiled when she saw who it belonged to. Ajay had the guy’s other arm bent to a painful position behind his back. His eyes were dark and powerful, and Bailey had no doubt that Ajay could easily crush this guy in one move; despite the situation, the thought made heat pool between her thighs. Her hand was freed, but Ajay’s iron grip on her admirer had not loosened. 

“You touch her like that again and I break it. You understand?” Ajay spoke, low and threatening. The guy gulped and nodded, but Ajay’s hold tightened. 

“Say it.” Bailey had flashbacks to the backstage room and felt her face flush. 

“Ajay, it’s fine. Let him go,” she said, not wanting to cause a scene. 

“Yeah, dude. Listen to your bitch.” The guy barely got the plea out before Ajay twirled him around and punched him square in the jaw. The guy collapsed with a cry as Ajay’s hand recoiled, bloody from the force of the strike. He seemed to realize what he did and his eyes widened at his red knuckles, thoughts of jail and his job crossing his mind. 

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, partially at the pain and partially at the guy knocked out on the ground. A woman with a stern face and an even sterner posture walked up and surveyed the scene. 

“What the fuck?” was all she said.

“Maria! This guy was getting a little pushy. Ajay handled him.” Lilith seemed to talk this woman, Maria, off a cliff.

“Fantastic. I’ll get Frank.” With a curt nod to Ajay, she walked to the door where a large man was standing and watching over the Cave. Frank, a tank of a man, picked up the guy as if he were a pack of fruit. Maria returned to the group and turned to Ajay. With two words, she communicated that nothing bad would come from this. 

“Don’t worry.” 

He nodded and thanked her before moving to leave with Bailey. She pulled him down to her height and whispered in his ear as they left the cave.

“Wanna stay at my place?”


	9. The Great Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bailey helps comfort Ajay after his fight in the bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! I stayed up until about 5 this morning to write this chap so I hope it's not too awful haha. also i changed the spacing on this so hopefully its less bulky. enjoy!!

Fast forward to Ajay’s head spinning as Bailey slammed him against the door and kissed him until he was sure his lips were going to turn blue. Her hands pushed his jacket to the floor, leaving him in a white button-down that he had worn to school that day. His sleeves were rolled up his forearms and she took her eyes off his face to cast her gaze downward to the subtle definition of his arms. Spotting the blood caked onto his knuckles, she daintily grabbed his wrist and led him to her kitchen, sitting him down on a chair at a small table near a window. Bailey had a great view of the city from her apartment and Ajay found himself completely ignoring it in favor of the sight of Bailey’s perfect ass that was barely covered by her skirt as she hastily grabbed the first-aid kit from a random cabinet.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, hating himself for losing control in front of her. The similarity to Bailey’s own outburst on the sidewalk earlier today didn’t escape him, but he chose to ignore it. She dropped the kit on the table next to him, causing him to flinch. Bringing a hand up to his cheek, Bailey’s eyes locked on his. 

“Because I like you, moron. Plus, I got arrested for pretty much the same thing you did; who am I to judge you?” She offered an easy smile that seemed to put him at ease, but his muscles remained tense. Pulling up a chair, she opened the kit and got to work healing him. 

“I lost control, Bailey. I wouldn’t be surprised if you never wanted to be seen with me again.” Ajay’s head was hung in shame, and Bailey softly gripped his chin and raised it.

“You lost nothing, especially not me. I should be thanking you for defending me. And looking really hot doing it,” she teased, casting a downward glance to his attire. His arms were highlighted from his sleeves rolled up and his simple black pants were impeccably pressed, betraying the inherent messiness of the rest of him. His hair was messy and his eyes were wild; she aced to calm him as best she could. After finishing wrapping his hand in a thin layer of gauze, she brought his hand up to her lips, lightly dusting them over his wound. His brows furrowed as he watched her intently, the sight of the tender action stirring something within him. His eyes spotted a bruise forming on her arm where the guy at the show had pinned her down and his anger resurfaced, bubbling and piping hot, ready to burst at any minute. Slamming his bad fist down on the table, he ignored the pain blooming in his hand and decided to focus on the feeling blooming in his chest. In the force of standing up, his chair was knocked to the floor, causing Bailey to flinch as she tracked him pacing the kitchen.

“He shouldn’t have touched you. The sight of his hands on you, touching your skin, calling you  _ princess _ ?” His hands clenched to fists at his side. “It almost killed me--” He turned to face Bailey, who was standing with her face close to his chest. Without her shoes, there was quite a height difference between them, but the closeness made Ajay’s breath catch in his throat as he was reminded of their official meeting when she chased him down the sidewalk. 

“Kill you?” she said, barely above a whisper. Her pupils swallowed any color there and he saw her rub her thighs together as she stood, aching for friction. The longer he looked at her, the more his gaze hardened at the thought of anyone but him touching her. He took a step closer to her and placed a finger under her chin, raising her face to look at his. He only moved his head a millimeter downwards to look at her, and the possessive finger hot against her skin combined with the anger in his eyes made her even more desperate for him. 

“I want you to be all mine,” he growled, adjusting his hold on her so that his index finger and thumb were wrapped around her chin. Her breath hitched at the wish falling from his lips, so needy but stern simultaneously. 

“I am yours.” Her eyes widened and sent a quick glance to his lips before returning to the deep brown of his eyes. He leaned his face forward until she could feel his breath on her lips, aching for contact.

“You’re mine,” he snarled, closing the gap between them with a bruising kiss. His hands clawed at her, desperate for more access to her skin. She was already sufficiently revealed in her current outfit, but it wasn’t enough for him. Her hands found their way into his thick head of hair and tugged, causing the rubber band that was his self-control to snap inside him. Groaning, his eyes rolled back into his head and his hands fumbled blindly with her belt buckle, never wanting to stop kissing her. He finally managed to slip the leather from her waist, throwing it onto the table with a loud clatter. 

“That was expensive,” she gasped, hands groping the abs beneath his shirt.

“I don’t give a fuck,” he snapped, and she could feel her underwear dampening at the way the air crackled between them. To add insult to injury, he pushed both the first-aid kit and her belt to the floor, making room for him to lift her onto the table, fingers bruising the sliver of skin between her tank top and skirt. Getting tired of the layers covering her, he roughly pulled the hem of her top over her head, lips returning to hers as soon as they could. She tugged her skirt down herself, damp panties revealed along with the smooth skin of her thighs. His urgent touch made its way down to play with the fabric and he felt his heartbeat impossibly faster in his chest.

“Did you ever find out his name?” He briefly stilled his attack on her, prompting a high-pitched whine to leave her lips before she could stop it.

“No, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” She spoke with a teasing tone, taunting him to see how far he would go. He kissed and sucked on a sport on her neck that knocked the air out of her lungs.

“Why not?”

“I’m afraid of what you’d do to him if you had a name,” she whispered, a dangerous edge to her breathy delivery that made him wild. He drove his hips into hers, rubbing the thick bulge against her core, prompting a moan to slip from her lips. His hands fell to her waist as he laid her back on the table, pulling her towards him to grind harder against her. He groaned at the feeling, obsessed with his desire and making her feel good.

“Well, I’m gonna make you forget he even exists.” He had moved his head down to her thighs and she tightened her grip on his hair as she felt his breath on her core over her underwear.

“Please, baby, more. You know how to make me feel so good.” He felt his pants tighten at the high praise and wasted no time in ripping all of the remaining clothing off her body and giving a kiss to her core. Her grip on his hair was like iron, holding his mouth to her skin, giving him no choice but to lick and suck at her clit. Every small movement of his mouth brought upon a feeling of ecstasy for her, and it was only a few minutes of these movements before she came with a scream that she would apologize to her neighbors for in the morning. He lapped up the juices that dripped down her thighs, making her legs shake even more from the overstimulation.

“Ajay, you’re extremely sexy, but I think that the outfit needs to go,” she panted, straining her neck to watch as he stripped for her. She had usually never considered a man undressing to be the sexiest thing in the world, but watching her lover slowly unbutton and reveal a toned torso with muscles rippling as he took his pants off almost made her come again on her dining table. Her legs were spread for him already and his gaze was predatory as his eyes raked her body.

“So pretty. Who is this all for?” He spoke with a rumble from his chest, deepening his voice and further clouding Bailey’s mind.

“You-you, ‘Jay,” she managed to stammer out, preparing herself for whatever he planned to do next. He towered over her, both of them naked and vulnerable to the other. He briefly glanced up to the view behind the table through the window and his face brightened at an idea that popped into his head. He gently lifted Bailey from the table and helped her walk to the window, pressing the front of her body to the glass. The combination of the cool sensation of the window and the heat of Ajay against her bare skin was almost too much for her, but as he pressed sweet kisses to her neck, she knew that she was exactly where she wanted to be.

“This okay?” he whispered, removing his lips from her shoulder blade to allow her a clear answer. She breathed out an affirmation and then a cry as he smoothly entered her, using her own slick as lube. “ _ Fuck _ , you feel perfect,” he gasped, grip tightening on her hips as she adjusted to his size. He took the time to take in the perfect moment with the view out the window. He typically hated not seeing his partner’s face during sex because of the intimacy associated with the act, but he felt like he could make an exception for the position he was in with the girl of his dreams. She gave a slight wiggle of her hips to let him know she was ready, and he eagerly fulfilled her request, pounding her against the glass. She screamed with every thrust. 

“Say my name, Bailey. Who is making you feel so good, baby?” He moved one hand down to rub her clit and she bucked harder against him, matching his pace.

“Aj-Ajay! Fuck, yes,  _ harder! _ ” At her demand, Ajay pulled her hips back for a better angle and increased his speed. She clenched around him as he repeatedly hit the sweet spot inside her and came with a scream of his name against the glass. He quickly tumbled over the edge with her, groaning her name as his thrusts became more and more erratic. As they caught their breath, Ajay leaned down and pressed soft kisses to her spine and reached over to the glass to take one of her hands in his own.

“I feel bad for your neighbors,” he joked and slipped out of her, walking to the bathroom to get towels for them to clean up. She gave him hoarse laughter and he grimaced. “Sorry.” She glanced at him and walked to position herself close to his chest. 

“Don’t  _ ever _ apologize for that,” she whispered, gently kissing him and cupping his cheek. Breaking away, she gave a playful smack to his ass, to which he responded with a scoff in disbelief. “You tired?” she asked, finally cleaning up all evidence of their activities besides the dirty clothes in her hands that quickly were thrown into the hamper. Ajay yawned to provide an answer and climbed into her bed, holding up the comforter for her so she could enter in after him. She rested a leg and an arm on him and they both slipped into an easy sleep.

* * *

The next morning was a weekend, so Ajay just dressed in a pair of his own sweatpants that he found in Bailey’s dresser before joining her in the kitchen. He gave her a hug as she danced around on the tile, cooking some eggs and waffles simultaneously.

“I’m gonna cook for you today, but can you grab my mail from the lobby? The key is on the hook,” she asked, pointing to a small set of hooks bolted to the door. He answered with a kiss to her cheek as he grabbed the keys and set off to the lobby. He hadn’t realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt until he got to the elevator, but he hoped it wouldn’t cause too much trouble. The elevator doors opened to the lobby and he walked briskly to a row of mailboxes against a wall. The number 737 was printed on the key, so he searched for the matching box. 

A middle-aged woman was also getting her mail from her own box, and she eyed Ajay suspiciously as he found the box he was looking for and retrieved the mail.

“Who are you? I haven’t seen you in the building before,” she asked, cocking her head to the side as she took in his sleepy appearance.

“Oh, I’m Ajay--”

“Ajay?” She interrupted, recognition coloring her features. “You’re Bailey’s...companion...aren’t you?” Ajay’s face burned as he nodded. She looked him up and down before nodding with approval. “I live in the apartment above her and couldn’t understand the fuss over you last night. Clearly--” she looked down at his abs, more defined than usual since he hadn’t eaten yet, “--I underestimated you both.” She gave his torso one last lingering look and returned to the elevator with her mail, leaving Ajay completely red with his mouth gaping in the middle of the lobby.


	10. Fifteen Minutes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some good news and some bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS oof. so i know that this is really abrupt and not very satisfying but in my own chaotic mind i really didn't see this going anywhere?? if that makes sense. This was always the ending i had in mind for them and i kind of didn't want to drag it out. anyways i hope you like it!

“She said that to you? Bailey let out a short burst of laughter as she loaded two plates with waffles and eggs. “I knew Mrs. Turner was a kinky bitch!” Ajay’s mouth fell open at her blunt delivery as if he hadn’t been halfway to her stomach in an act of jealous and possessive rage the night before. 

“How could you be so calm about this...this...accidental voyeurism?!” he exclaimed, face flushing red as his hands shot out from his sides. She had been walking with the plates of food in her hands and quickly raised one higher in the air to avoid a collision with Ajay’s body. She silently thanked her old job at her parents’ diner for training her to have quick reflexes. He remained flustered and oblivious as ever. “I could barely handle myself in front of her. I was about to melt into the floor!” 

She chuckled and set the plates down on the (recently sanitized) table. “Poor baby,” she cooed, smiling at his exaggerated pout. “Come here.” She opened her arms and beckoned him closer to give him a hug. He has to bend down a considerable amount, but he found himself unable to care as he was enveloped in her warmth. She smelled of cinnamon after cooking and he nuzzled his face into her chest to be overtaken by her scent. Somewhere on the counter, Bailey’s phone rang, playing a song with heavy drumming. She perked up and tried to get to it, dragging the large man wrapped around her middle with her.

“Hey, Lil--”

“Shut the fuck up and check your email.”

“What?” Bailey was used to Lilith’s gruff (to put it lightly) manner of speaking, but hearing it this early was still a surprise. 

“Do it, and keep me on the line. Is Ajay with you?” 

“Uh, yeah--” Ajay yelled hello from the table since he sat down to eat, “--hand on, I’m checking now.” Bailey’s eyes quickly skimmed her most recently received email and widened with the more information she absorbed from it. Ajay watched her silently, trying to avoid disrupting the moment between her and Lilith. Bailed reread the email one, two, three times before letting out an excited squeal. Ajay’s fork clattered against the plate as he dropped it in surprise. 

“Holy  _ FUCK _ they want us as an opener!” She exclaimed and Lilith answered with loud whoops on the other end of the line. 

“We’re going on tour!” 

“ _ We’re going on tour! _ ” Bailey yelled, refusing to give a damn about her neighbors. Ajay smiled and gazed at her, pride flooding him as she danced around the kitchen with her phone still in hand. “Do Casey and--”

“Nope, I was about to call and tell them after you. We good?” 

“We’re great! See you soon.”

“Later.” The phone was barely out of Bailey’s hand before Ajay was picking her up and spinning her around in his strong arms, pressing soft kisses to her lips laced with laughter.

“So...I’m guessing you’re going on tour,” he teased, still holding Bailey with his hands on her thighs and legs wrapped around his torso. 

“Domesticated Antelope has a world tour coming up and one of the bands originally opening for them dropped. We’re their replacement!” She was breathless from their kiss but pure light shone in her eyes. 

“When do you leave?” He moved kisses down her jaw and neck, causing her to sigh happily.

“Two weeks, since it’s such short notice.”

Ajay nearly dropped her.

“Two--two weeks?” She sensed his anxiety and pressed her feet back to the cold tile. 

“Uh, yeah...what’s wrong?” The excitement in her chest was quickly dissipating as she watched his eyebrows furrow.

“At that point, we’d have been dating for three weeks, Bailey. That’s not even a full month.” He spoke carefully, trying to make sense of the small piece of information that had managed to completely ruin him in so little time. 

“Well, what does it matter? We’ll Skype and text and--”

“Bailey--”

“It’ll work!” She cut him off and pushed herself away from him, pain written all over her features. “Or do you just not want to try? Is that what this is? This means nothing to you?” Bailey knew she was spouting bullshit, but Ajay’s eyes narrowed and she knew that a real fight was coming.

“I’m trying to look out for you! After three weeks, we barely have anything that could withstand months of long-distance. We both have lives, Bailey, and those lives will keep us busy.” He was raising his voice but refusing to yell. “Would you rather have two weeks to recover from a breakup or have to step out on stage in tears?” His voice was coming down from the crescendo to a soft rumble, slightly cracking and shaking from how terrified he was of losing her. 

“What makes you think I’ll cry over you?” The statement was a slap in the face to Ajay.

“What?”

“You heard me.” Her voice was dangerously calm. Inside, she was screaming at herself to  _ stop, shut up, that’ not the truth _ , but she couldn’t stop herself. She was so quick to lash out, refuse to talk through her problems, and Aja y was the next victim of the electric fence she kept around her heart. His eyes were wet with tears and she could see his hands shaking at his sides. Despite the telling signs of immense sadness over her statement, his next words were angry, harshly grabbing at her resolve and tugging it, begging for it to break. 

“Well, that’s rich. You’re so naive about this. I’m trying to save our relationship and you--”

“Save? By breaking it, you’re saving it?” 

“Yes! Bailey, I--” His voice broke and he looked down at the white tiles beneath his feet. “I...over the past week, I’ve...felt things. For you. It’s so much more than a fling and...I want it to go on for as long as possible. This recent development kind of threw a wrench in my plans.” He looked up to see Bailey’s face streaked with tears. Taking a timid step towards her, he hugged her close to his chest, feeling the wetness run down his bare skin. “Shh, I know this...is really hard for me, too. But you have to believe me, babe. You can’t be world-famous with a lame bio teacher stuck to your arm.”

She gave him an upset laugh that was muffled against his chest before pulling away slightly from his embrace. Her eye color was only accentuated by the tears glistening in her eyes, and Ajay felt one roll down his own cheek as he thought about giving her up. He knew that her career needed this, but damn was it hard to do. Their lips met in one final kiss, slow and passionate, and neither of them wanted it to end. They both stepped apart all too soon and Ajay moved quietly to gather everything out of the apartment that belonged to him. She sat on the couch, refusing to watch him crack her heart with each piece of clothing collected. He saw his old camp t-shirt that she wore when he picked her up from jail and stood looking at the mascara stain, smiling at the perfect memory. He decided to fold it up along with his white button down for her to keep and remember him by, heart aching at the thought. After finally gathering everything, she walked him to her door, sniffling as she looked up at him. 

“We’ll find our way,” he reassured ehr, but she wasn’t sure if he was talking about finding their way back to each other or finding their way through life without each other. She prayed to any divine being that was listening up there that it was the former. Before she asked for a clarification, he slipped out the door and walked to the elevator. Halfway down the hallway, he turned to find her still watching him intently from her doorway, crying hard yet silent. He gave her a sad smile and a wave before stepping into the elevator, finally disappearing as the doors slid shut. 

Closing her own door, she let out a sob and slid down the hard aluminum, hugging her knees as she sat on the ground. Her apartment seemed dull and lifeless, all sharp corners and emotionless surfaces. She picked herself up and sat at the dining table to eat her now-cold breakfast. She cried harder at the sight of the half eaten meal on the plate across from her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so again i know this is like hella sudden but i also kind of wanted to highlight how perfect they are for each other since theyre feeling so strong after just a week together as well as the fact that like anything can happen yall. yall gotta cherish THE MOMENTS. anyway i hope you liked this fic, i might do more one shots in the same universe where they meet back up or something after the tour but that's for another day. i am PLANNING something to go with the ride or die universe (or possibly the blades of light and shadow, but that ones less likely although i would lay my life on the LINE for tyril so) so maybe look out for that?? if i ever get around to it. love yall!! OH ALSO if you didn't notice, each chapter is the title of an alt rock/punk/pop song since it's my favorite kind of music and i actually have a playlist i pulled them from!! some of the titles referred to the general message of the song while others were just chosen because of the words of the title. if you ever want the playlist or to ask about the titles, hit me up on my tumblr @mrsbhandari!! This specific title (fifteen minutes) refers to the message of the song!!


End file.
